Screwworm Containment & Farm Economy (with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Becky Quick, Joe Kernen)

USDA has confirmed a second screwworm case in Texas, 5 miles from the first. Secretary Rollins says the food supply is not at risk and the situation is being managed with sterile fly drops (10M/week), new facilities, and treatment options. On the farm economy, input prices had been coming down before the Iran conflict caused temporary increases in fuel and fertilizer.

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Screwworm Containment & Farm Economy (with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Becky Quick, Joe Kernen)

wti

Before the Iranian conflict, fuel was down almost 25%. What the Iranian conflict has meant is a temporary increase in prices, but they're real.

Andrew Ross Sorkin

The agriculture department has confirmed a second screwworm case in Texas, found in a calf about 5 miles from the first case. The USDA says the US food supply remains safe.
Brooke Rollins

We have been managing screwworm in North America since 1842. In the 1960s, a new technique called the sterile insect technique using sterile flies to mate with the bad flies was developed. We were able to defeat it in the late 1960s/early 1970s and push it back past the Darien Gap into South America where it was contained for almost 50-60 years.
Brooke Rollins

The food supply is not at risk. This is not a virus or disease - it's just a little pest, a larvae that lands in a calf's wound and can be treated. The two calves found last Wednesday have been treated and are expected to fully recover.
Becky Quick

There has been pushback from Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller saying the administration's not moving fast enough.
Brooke Rollins

It's very unfortunate what the Texas Ag Commissioner has been saying. He lost his primary as the incumbent a few months ago. His latest thing is saying 'don't even report it if you get it' which is absolutely disturbing and disruptive.
Becky Quick

How are farmers faring these days given higher fertilizer prices and higher prices at the pump, particularly diesel?
Brooke Rollins

The farm economy is facing headwinds. There was almost a 40% increase in input prices under the last administration. Before the Iranian conflict, all those numbers were coming down significantly - fuel was down almost 25%, fertilizer in some cases was down 100%.

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